Apparatus foe subaqueous excavations



A. PAI-RCHILD.

APPARATUS FOR. SUBAQUBOUS EXGAVATIONS. No. 433,279. Patented July 29, 1890.

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W/TNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADONIRAM FAIRCHILD, OF NE\V YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS FOR SUBAQUEOUS EXCAVATIONS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,279, dated July 29, 1890.

Application filed January 2, 1890. Serial No. 335,680. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ADONIRAM FAIRCHILD, of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Subaqueous Excavations, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improved mechanism for the excavation of gravel or soil and for its disintegration by movable jets of water controlled from the surface and operating upon the bottom beneath a body of water.

Practical operation with water-jets as a means for excavation and disintegration of the gravel or earthy matter below the surface of bodies of water indicates that the best results are attained by the employment of two or more jets of water projected at an angle to the ground surface operated upon and retativcly moved, so that a plowing action is produced at the point of impact, which excavates the material operated upon and comminutes it rapidly for subsequent removal by a sand-pump or other means.

My invention consists in the construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of one form of the device mounted to revolve on the vertical lift-pipe of a sand-pump or other similar machine for removal of comminuted material. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the jetshell detached. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View of the shell. Fig. 4: is a vertical sectional view of a modified construction, and Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the lower face of the j et-shell and an inserted jet-nozzle.

The jet-shell A consists, essentially, of a spheroidal chamber, the diameter of which is reduced below a median line a: no, at which point the overhanging portion of the enlarged upper section of the shell has formed thereon a series of diagonally inclined faces a on its lower surface. Any suitable number of such inclined faces may be produced on the shell, six being shown in the drawings, Fig. 3, spaced apart at an equal distance from each other. I The inclined faces a are perforated at right angles thereto, and the perforations are screw-threaded for the reception of plugshaped nozzles, which will be hereinafter de scribed. The upper overhanging portion of the shell is circularly apertured at its apex at c, which orifice may be of such a diameter as to adapt the shell to receive a lift-pipe, as shown in Fig. 1, or a water-pressure pipe, as shown in Fig. at.

WVhen the device is to be used in direct connection with the lift-pipe of a silt or sand pump, (not shown,) the aperture 0 is enlarged so that it will afford room for the introduction of a water-feed pipe into the shell A, as will be hereinafter. explained.

The lift-pipe is preferably constructed in two sections B and B, separable at (Z, the section 13 forming a part of a hood, hereinafter described, said sections being united by a threaded connection. A flat radial flange (1', formed integral with the upper portion of the section B, extends over the aperture 0 in the shell, and from the circumferential edge of said flange there extends downward an integral dome-like hood D, the lower edge of which is concentric with the outer surface of the shell A, and extends below the inclined faces a to protect the jet-nozzles.

Upon the upper portion of the shell A, near the edge of the aperture 0 therein, a fiat surface is produced, on which is superimposed the packing-ring e that is in contact with a true parallel face formed on the lower side of the flange (1, so as to provide a water-tight joint between said flange and the shell A.

The lower section of the spheroidal shellA is centrally apertured and fits with a revoluble joint on the cylindrically-true lower port-ion of the pipe B, which latter is threaded and furnished with a nut f, whereon the shell is supported, a washer g of any proper material being inserted between the nut and true lower end of the shell A to afford a seat on which said shell may revolve. A threaded perforation is made in the flange (1' for the reception of an upright pipe 72, through which water under pressure is introduced into the shell and which will escape at the jet-nozzles.

In Fig. 5 the construction of the movable jet-n ozzles is shown, and as these are all alike the description of one will suffice for the se ries. Each nozzle consists of a cylindrical plug 5, threaded upon its exterior surface to adapt it for insertion and adjustment in the inclined wall a, there being a threaded hole therefor formed in said wall, as previously mentioned. Said plug-shaped nozzle is perforated endwise in a line inclined from the longitudinal axis of the plug, so that a waterjet issuing therefrom may be changed in its direction by turning the plug to give it apartial rotation in its supporting-seat. Any desired number of similar nozzles '5 may be inserted in threaded perforations in the lower section of the shell A, which, if used, will pro-' jcct streams of water therefrom at points nearer the vertical pipe B.

In operation the jet-nozzles b are set toimpinge on the ground surface to be excavated at different angles, so that each will strike at a point aside from the preceding orfollowing jet, and as the water-pressure must be powerful to aifect the work of excavation and disintegration, the issuance of the liquid in jet form from the nozzles b in the same general direction, as indicated by the dotted line yin Fig. 2, the shell A will be revolved in an opposite direction, as shown by the arrow in said figure.

As a means for controlling the rotary movement of the shell A, so that the plowing action of the projected jets will be exerted for a longer time on one point of impact, vertical brake-bars E are provided, which are seated on the ring 6, said bars being prolonged to engage any suitable mechanism at the surface of the water, which device maybe lo cated in an anchored vessel, so as to press the bars downwardly, as may be desired, and produce more or less frictional contact of the packing-ring on the shell A.

In Fig. 4 the jet-shellA is shown as applied to a water-pressure pipe 0, the lower end of said pipe being externally threaded and fitting into the internally-threaded upper portion of a pipe-section C, integral with the hood D, which pipe-section 0' extends downward centrally within the shell A and tapers slightly toward its lower extremity. The lower end of the pipe-section C is reduced and threaded for the reception of a nut f, a washer g, introduced between the nut and true lower surface of the shell, serving as a seat whereon the shell may rotate, as in the construction shown in Fig. 1, brake-bars E being also provided, as shown in said figure. WVhen .the parts are assembled and adjusted properly, the shell A will be retained concentric with either the pipe B or C in substantially the same manner. a

In order to introduce the water within the shell Awhen it is revolubly sustained on the pipe-section C, said sect-ion is slotted at m within the shell, so that a free supply of water under pressure will be discharged therefrom, fill the shell, and be projected forcibly from the adjustable nozzles I), while the latter are revolved with the shell, so as to impinge on a considerable area of ground surface at different angles of incidence therewith. The pipe 6 is extended as a nozzle if below the nut f, and is plugged up when not in service; but if it is desired to project a vertical jet upon the material to be excavated this jetorifice may be opened.

Having thus fully described myinvention, I claim as new an desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a subaqueous soil-excavator, the combination, with a revoluble spheroidal shell having a number of overhanging inclined faces produced on its lower wall and jet-nozzles fitted in said faces,-of a support whereon the shell may revolve and a Water-supply for the jet-nozzles, substantially as set forth.

2. In a subaqueous soil-excavator, the combination, with a spheroidal jet-shell, jet-nozzles in said shell, a pipe supporting said shell, and a packing-ring intervening the shell and a flange on the supporting-pipe, of brake-bars fitted in said pipe-flange and adapted to engage said ring, substantially as set forth.

3. In a subaqueous soil-excavator, the combination, with a spheroidal jet-shell and a series of spaced overhanging inclines formed on the jet-shell near its vertical median line, of a series of movable j et-plugs, each perforated longitudinally on an incline from the axial line of the plug, substantially as set forth.

4. In a subaqueous soil-excavator, a revolnble j et-shell having j et-plugs on its peripheral surface inclined downwardly, each plug being adjustable longitudinally and revolubly and perforated endwise on an incline from the axial line of the plug, substantially as set forth. I

5. In a subaqueous soil-excavator, jet-plugs set movably in a jet-shell which is revolnble, the plugs being longitudinally perforated on an incline from the axial line of the plugs to form nozzles, substantially as set forth.

6. In a subaqueous soil-excavator, the combination, with a flanged separable lift-pipe for a sand-pump and a water-supply pipe which penetrates the flange thereon, of a revolubly-mounted spheroidal jet-shell having inclines for jet-ports therein, jet-nozzles movably seated in the jet-ports, and jet-nozzles located on the jet-shell below the nozzles in the jet-ports, substantially as set forth.

7. In a subaqueous soil-excavator, the combination, with a revoluble j et-shell fitted with jet-nozzles, of a pipe whereon the shell may revolve and a hood integral with said pipe and extending below the jet-nozzles of the shell, substantially as set forth.

ADONIRAM FAIROHILD.

Witnesses:

EDGAR TATE, C. E. I-IoLsKE. 

